Method of and apparatus for braiding



July 25, 1944. c, JECKEL 2,354,212

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BRAIDING I Filed Feb. 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet1 "NVENTOR.

a1 5 By lv'arman (f far/d H T TORNEK'.

NETTING & LACE MAKING DEUIUI [\UUHI y 1944. N. c. JECKEL 2,354,212

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BRAIDING Filed Feb. 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2m l I a0 55 60 so W I L 60 Z l 2 l: O 25 50 25 2g filmilllllll l TM 6060 60 INVENTOR.

/VPIrmau (Y .1204?! B ATTORNEYS y 5; 1944. N. c. JECKEL 2,354,212

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BRAIDING Filed Feb. 5, 1942 5 Shets-Sheet :s

Q [Ni EN TOR. Norman 6.10M?! HTTORNEVS July 25, 1944.

N. c. JECKEL 2,354,212

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BRAIDING Filed Feb. 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4IN V EN TOR.

Afarman (f .lZc/(el BY flTTOIP/VEYS NETTING & LACE MAKING y 25, 1944- N.c. JECKEL 2,354,212

umnon or AND armmus FOR amnme Filed Feb. 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet s IN VENTOR.

NETTiNG & LACE MAKING Patented July 25, 1944 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FORBRAIDING Norman C. Jeckel, Glens Falls, N. Y., assignor to United StatesCatheter & Instrument 0011)., a corporation of New York ApplicationFebruary 5, 1942, Serial No. 429,603

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to the braiding art and more particularlyto a method of and apparatus for braiding improved, tubular and taperedproducts, such as may be used for catheter tubes, various forms ofducts, wire and line coverings, etc.

Braided tubes have heretofore been made with tapered portions but inmost instances the resulting product is not entirely satisfactory or thecost of production is unduly high. In one of the methods heretoforeproposed the taper is effected by braiding a plurality of threads over atapered core or other object to be covered. In this core covering methodthe mesh of the braided material is coarse and much looser over thelarger portions of the core than over the smaller portions thereof. Thiscoarser mesh at the larger portions tends to spread apart, especially ifthe product is bent, thereby exposing the core and sometimes evenpermitting the core to bulge out between the threads of the braidedcovering.

According to another method heretofore proposed the taper or differentsizes of the braided tubing was formed by utilization of a taperedmandrel over which the braiding is effected. To produce different sizesof tubing or tapered tubing the position of the mandrel is varied at thepoint where the threads come together in the braiding operation. In thisway the size and taper of the braided tube is controlled by the relativepositioning of the mandrel. The tapered tubing produced by the mandredmethod, however, has the objectionable feature of producing for thelarger portions of the tubing a much coarser or looser mesh than thatproduced at the smaller portions of the tubing.

This feature of the mandrel produced tubing is particularlyobjectionable where such tubing is used for catheter purposes. Fabrictubing of coarse mesh is capable of considerable stretchin and. when thetubing is coated with a thin layer of varnish or other lacquer. thecoating alone must resist any longitudinal tension placed upon the tube.A small amount of longitudinal tension on such a construction is apt tocause t e varnish to rupture, thereby permitting the tube to elongateand break away parts of the coatin Another method heretofore proposedfor producing a taper during the braiding of tubes inwolves thesubstitution of heavier for lighter t reads, or vice versa, as the casemay be. This interchanging of threads of different size not onlyrequires the close attention of a skilled attendant but also involvesconsiderable machine stoppage over a period of time.

It is one of the objects of the present invention, therefore, to providea method of producing tubular and tapered products which overcomes theobjectionable features of the prior art methods hereinbefore discussed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new method of producingbraided products of varying diameter with a consistently tight or closemesh for the different sizes of the braided products.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of making by acontinuous operation a braided product having alternate cylindrical andtapered portions in which the mesh is substantially the same for bothportions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine by which themethod of my invention may be practiced.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved braidedtubular and tapered product having hollow, cylindrical and taperedportions wherein the cylindrical portion is adapted to resistlongitudinal tension substantially the same as the tapered or smallerportion of the tube.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved braidedtubing for catheter tubes.

The above and additional objects and advantages of the invention areobtained by making the tapered and smaller portions of the braidedtubing by changing in step-like order the number of threads enteringinto the braiding operation. This changing of the number of threads iscarried on without stopping the machine and does not require as closeattendance by the operator as is required by the existing types ofmachines.

More particularly the method comprises an operation wherein a braidedproduct is produced having hollow cylindrical and tapered portions bywithholding in step-like order a number of the threads used in thebraiding of the larger cylindrical portion until the desired small sizeis reached and thereby insuring a substantially equal degree oftightness of braiding or mesh throu hout the length of the tube.Advantageously, the process is carried out as a continuous o eration andwith the production of a continuous length of braided tubing made up ofalternate cylindrical and tapered portions. When the process is soconducted, the braiding of "UVIII the tubing back to the desired largercylindrical diameter following a reducing tapering operation will beeffected by returning the withheld threads, in step-like order, into thebraiding operation. In this way a taper or portion flaring in theopposite direction as compared with the reducing taper is formed untilthe former cylindrical size of the tubing is reached, or, if desired,the operation may be stopped when a cylindrical size of intermediatediameter is attained. The braiding is then continued with the samenumber of threads until the desired cylindrical length is obtained andthen the cycle is repeated.

The resulting tubing having alternate cylindrical and tapered portionsis then cut into desired lengths. In the case of catheter tubes, thecutting may be performed in the mid-sections of the cylindrical tubularportion and at the midsections between the adjacent tapered portions.The unbraided portions of the threads which were withheld are thentrimmed and the resulting tubular lengths can be coated by a suitablelacquer and used for catheter purposes.

The method of my invention is further characterized by maintaining thethreads under tension during the braiding operation. The large orcylindrical portions of the tubing are formed with a tight or flne meshand this mesh is continued into and throughout the tapered portions. Thetaper is effected by the step by step withholding of a number of thethreads from entering into the braiding operation and by maintainingtension on the withheld threads. When the withheld threads are returnedto the braiding operation, lengths of threads corresponding to thelength of th tubing braided during the withholding of the threads extendfrom the points of their removal from the braiding operation to thepoints where they are returned. These unbraided thread portions willnormally lie alongside the tubing. Advantageously, the unbraided threadsare trimmed closely adjacent the tubing after the tubing is cut intolengths of desired size.

The method may be considerably varied, depending on the product desired.The cylindrical portions of the tubing may be of any desired length andthe degree of taper as well as the length thereof may be varied, asdesired. The taper may be continued until the tubing reaches solid cordsize and the cord size continued for any desired length. From cord sizethe product may be flared into the tubing by returning in step-likeorder the threads previously withdrawn from the braiding operation.

A form of machine suitable for carrying out the method of my inventionmay comprise a base structure deflning intersecting paths along which aplurality of bobbin carriers are adapted to travel. The machine may beprovided with any suitable power driven means to drive the bobbincarriers along the paths to perform the braiding operation. Adjacent thepaths of travel I provide stationary supporting means for the bobbincarriers when the threads supported thereby are to be withheld from thebraiding operation. The bobbin carriers are provided with foot memberswhich are maintained in the base structure for continuous travel alongthe paths provided therefor and the bobbin carriers are removable fromthe foot members and may be placed on the stationary supporting meanswhen it is desired to withhold the threads carried by them from thebraiding operation. The foot members, however, may be formed as parts 91the driving means or they may comprise separate elements adapted to rideupon the base plate and be guided therealong by slots in the base plateor in slots defined by guides secured to the base plate.

Thus, when it is desired to produce a taper in the tubular product beingbraided, the bobbin carriers are selectively withdrawn in step-likeorder from the foot members and held stationary on the stationarysupporting means without, however, severing the thread carried thereby.As the tubular product is gradually withdrawn by a draw spool orequivalent means, not shown, as the braiding proceeds, the threadtensioning means of the bobbin carriers cooperate therewith inmaintaining under tension all of the threads that are stillparticipating in the braiding operation as well as those that have beenwithdrawn therefrom. In this way a tight and uniform mesh is insured.

The product produced by my invention is superior to those productswherein the same threads are utilized in both the large and small ortapered portions of the product. Further, the product of my invention isless expensive to produce than the tapered products wherein threads areinterchanged for other threads of heavier or lighter weights, as thecase may be. The manufacture of the improved braided article of myinvention does not require as close attention or as highly skilledoperators, nor does it involve frequent stoppage of the machine forrethreading or tyingin of threads of different weights.

When the tubular product of my invention is cut into desired lengths forcatheter tubes and the unbraided threads trimmed, the resulting tubingis strong, retains its shape and resists longitudinal tension with aminimum of stretching. The cut and trimmed lengths each of which,according to the embodiment described, comprises a cylindrical portionand a tapered portion may then be coated with a varnish, lacquer orother suitable coating. The resulting product has the smooth andflexible characteristics desired for catheter tubes.

It will be understood that my method of braiding tubular products havingtapered portions is not to be limited to the manufacture of cathetertubes, the catheter tube product being selected for the purposes ofillustrating my invention. Besides catheter tubes, the tubing, taperedin accordance with my invention, may be used for many other purposes.

For a further understanding of my invention. reference may be had to thefollowing detailed description which is to be read in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a braiding machine by which my method ofbraiding may be performed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the braiding machine illustrating themanner by which the taper is effected in accordance with my invention:

Fig. 4 is a view of the braided product of my invention with theunbraided threads spread apart;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a part of the machineshowing the driving means by which the bobbin carriers are moved;

Fig. 6 is a view in vertical elevation of a bobbin carrier and a footmember associated therewith;

Fig. 'l is a sectional view of the bobbin carrier and associated footmember taken substantially along line of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view in vertical elevation of the backside of the bobbincarrier and associated foot member shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view of the bobbin carrier taken alongline 9-9 of Fig. 7 with the bobbin removed.

Fig. 10 shows a portion of the tubular product before it is cut intoshort lengths;

Fig. 11 shows a larger view of a portion of one of the lengths after ithas been cut and before the unbraided threads have been trimmed;

Fig. 12 shows the tubular product of Fig. 11 with the unbraided threadstrimmed; and

Fig. 13 shows the trimmed product coated with a suitable lacquer.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, a machine is illustratedaccording to my invention and by which the method of my invention may beperformed. The machine comprises a frame or base plate uponv which ismounted a platen 22 having a pair of complementary sinuous grooves 24and 25, constituting endless sinusoidal paths disposed about a commonaxis. Supported in these grooves are a plurality of foot members 26(Figs. 5 and 6 to 9), each of which has a depending element 28 adaptedto be engaged by lugs 3| carried by gears 32 or other suitable drivingmeans disposed below the platen.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 7 to 9 of the drawings, the footmember 26 is provided with an aperture 34 which is adapted to receivethe base pin 35 of a bobbin carrier 30. A spring 36 is secured to thefoot member 26 and is adapted to engage the base 38 of the carrier 30 toreleasably hold the carrier in position upon the foot member.

The carrier 30 is provided with a hollow rectangularly shaped standard39 which has at the top thereof an eyelet 49. A tensioning weight 42 isalso disposed for movement axially of the standard. Adjacent thestandard 39 is a bracket 44 supported on the base 38 having eyelets 45and 48 through which the thread from a bobbin 52 supported on thestandard is adapted to be threaded. A bobbin base support is formed by awire 50 suitably shaped to grip the standard 39 and to provide an upperannular base portion upon which the bobbin is adapted to rest. It willbe understood, however, that any other suitable means may be provided onthe standard adjustably to support the bobbin.

As shown in Fig. 7, the bobbin 52 is adapted to be received over theupper end of the standard 39 and to rest upon the upper end of theelement 59. The thread 5| of the bobbin is passed through the eyelet 48in the bracket 44, the eyelet in the looped spring element 54, and thenthrough the upper eyelet 48 and an eyelet 56 on the tensioning weight42, and finally through the eyelet 40 provided at the upper end of thestandard 39. Thus threaded, the carrier is ready for the braidingoperation.

When all of the bobbin carriers are disposed for movement along thesinusoidal paths of the machine, the threads supported thereby areinterwoven into the desired braid which, with the number of threadsillustrated, will produce a tubular braided article of a desireddiameter. When it is desired to taper the braided tube I withdraw anumber of the bobbin carriers from the loot members thereof and placethem on stationary supports 60.

These supports are shown in the drawings to comprise a plurality ofplatforms each having five apertures GI and are supported on the platen22. They may, however. comprise a continuation of the platen or may bein the form of an annular or other suitably shaped member disposedadjacent the platen.

The supports as illustrated are elevated 50 that when the bobbincarriers are removed from the platen and held on the supports, thethreads thereof are held clear of the threads of the bobbins remainingon the platen. In Figs. 1 and 2, two 01' the bobbin carriers 30 areshown to have been withdrawn from their corresponding foot members andplaced upon diametrically disposed supports. As the braiding progresses,additional bobbin carriers are withdrawn from their foot members instep-like order and placed upon the stationary supports. The withdrawalof the bobbin carriers may be singly or in pairs or in a larger number,depending on the degree of taper desired. In Fig. 3 a number of bobbincarriers have been removed from the braiding cycle to illustrate thetaper effect produced by the method of my invention. The remainingbobbins continue to weave in and out to produce a tight braid.

While the bobbins shown in removed positions in Fig. 3 are disposedunequally among the several supports, it will be understood that thecarriers removed from their foot members, may be selected so as to leavethe carriers remaining in the braiding cycle in evenly spaced relationabout the platen, and the removed carriers may be distributedsubstantially equally on the supports about the platen.

After the desired number of bobbins have been removed from braidingpositions. the braiding operation may be continued to produce either asmall cylindrical portion or a cord-like portion 'Hl between the taperedportions 12. When a des red taper in one direction has been produced,the withdrawn threads may be returned in step-like order, or even at afaster rate, until the product is again built up to the formercylindrical size 14. It will be understood that the tubular product 14is gradually withdrawn as the braiding proceeds by means of a draw spoolor other conventional means not shown.

This method of producing a tubular product of cylindrical and taperedportions is particularly desirable for continuous production ofalternate, hollow cylindrical and tapered portions for use in themanufacture of catheter tubes. Such a continuous tubing is shown in Fig.10. The cutting of the product for catheter tubes may take place alonglines AA and BB, that is to say, the cylindrical portions I4 are cut attheir midportions and the tapered portions 12 are cut at their smallestor mid-sections 10. Each section 15, as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12,is then trimmed of the unbraided threads I6 and the resulting sectionscoated with a suitable lacquer or varnish to give them a desired smoothflexible surface coating.

From the foregoing it will be clear that I have invented a new methodfor braiding tubular products having tapered portions and in whichproduct the mesh is substantially the same throughout the larger andsmaller portions thereof, that the product is strong and tightlybraided, and that it is capable of resisting longitudinal tension with aminimum of stretching; and when coated with a suitable lacquer providesa smooth flexible tubing.

While I have shown and described my method in connection with productionof tubes of cylindrical and tapered portions and but one machine bywhich the method may be performed, it is recognized that many changesand variations in the steps of the method and the means by which themethod may be performed, as well as the different shapes of the productproduced, are possible without departing from my invention. It is,therefore, to be understood that the present disclosure is to beregarded as illustrative of the invention only and not in restriction ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of making a braided tubular product characterized by asubstantially uniformly tight and closely braided weave throughout thelength thereof. which comprises braiding a plurality of threadssuflicient in number to form a tube, and thereafter changing instep-like order the number of threads entering into the braidingoperation and thereby varying the diameter of the product, andthroughout the braiding operation maintaining under tension all of thethreads that are currently participating or have previously participatedin the braiding operation, and thereafter cutting the product to thedesired length and trimming the unbraided portions of the threads whichhave not entered into the braiding operation.

2. The method of making a braided catheter tube characterized by asubstantially uniformly tight and closely braided weave throughout thelength thereof, which comprises braiding a plurality of threads to forma cylindrical tu-be portion, withholding in step-like order some of thethreads from entering into the braiding operation until the product istapered from the hollow cylindrical size to a substantially solid cordsize, and throughout the braiding operation maintaining all of thethreads under a substantially constant tension, and thereafter cuttingthe product to the desired length and trimming the unbraided portions ofthe threads which were withheld.

3. The method of making a braided catheter tube characterized by asubstantially uniformly tight and closely braided weave of the threadsthroughout the product, comprising braiding a plurality of threads toform a cylindrical tube portion, withholding in step-like order some ofthe threads from entering into the braiding operation until the productis tapered from the hollow cylindrical size to substantially cord size,then returning the withheld threads in step-like order into the braidingoperation, thereby forming a tapered portion from cord size to theformer cylindrical size, maintaining all of said threads constantlyunder substantially the same tension throughout the entire operation,cutting the product at the mid-sections of the tubular portion and atthe cord sections, trimming the unbraided portions of the threads whichwere withheld and coating the cut lengths of the tubular and taperedportions with lacquer.

4. In a machine for braiding tubular products wherein bobbin carriersare moved along intersecting sinusoidal paths about the central axis toeffect braiding operations and the resulting braided tubular product iswithdrawn as the braiding proceeds in a path parallel to and adjacentsaid central axis, said machine including means defining saidintersecting paths, bobbin carriers movable along said paths, and threadtensioning means associated with said carriers for maintaining undertension the threads of the bobbins carried thereby; the improvementwhich consists in means for supporting a plurality of bobbin carriers instationary position adjacent but sufficiently removed from the plane ofsaid intersecting sinusoidal paths to insure that threads carried bybobbins removed from said paths to said stationary supports will bewithheld from the braiding operation and maintained under tension solong as they remain on said supports, and will re-enter said braidingoperation if and when said removable bobbins are returned to saidsinusoidal paths.

5. The method of making a braided catheter tube characterized by asubstantially uniformly tight and closely braided weave of the threadsthroughout the product, comprising braiding a plurality of threads toform a cylindrical tube portion, withholding in step-like order some ofthe threads from entering into the braiding operation by maintainingsaid threads outside of the tube being formed until the product istapered from the hollow cylindrical size to substantially cord size,then returning the withheld threads in step-like order into the braidingoperation, thereby forming a tapered portion from cord size to theformer cylindrical size, maintaining all of said threads constantlyunder substantially the same tension throughout the entire operation,cutting the product at the mid-sections of the tubular portion and atthe cord sections, trimming the unbraided portions of the threads whichwere withheld and coating the cut lengths of the tubular and taperedportions with lacquer.

6. The method of making a braided catheter tube characterized by asubstantially uniformly tight and closely braided weave throughout thelength thereof, which comprises braiding a plurality of threads to forma cylindrical tube portion, withholding in step-like order some of thethreads from entering into the braiding operation by maintaining saidthreads outside of the tube being formed until the product is taperedfrom the hollow cylindrical size to a substantially solid cord size, andthroughout the braiding operation maintaining all of the threads under asbstantially constant tension, and thereafter cutting the product to thedesired length and trimming the unbraided portions of the threads whichwere withheld.

7. The method of making a braided tubular product characterized by asubstantially uniformly tight and closely braided weave throughout thelength thereof, which comprises braiding a plurality of threadssufllcient in number to form a tube, and thereafter changing instep-like order the number of threads entering into the braidingoperation by maintaining the remaining threads outside of the tube beingformed and thereby varying the diameter of the product, and throughoutthe braiding operation maintaining under tension all of the threads thatare currently participating or have previously participated in thebraiding operation, and thereafter cutting the product to the desiredlength and trimming the unbraided portions of the threads which have notentered into the braiding operation.

8. In a machine for braiding tubular products wherein bobbin carriersare moved along intersecting sinusoidal paths about the central axis toeffect braiding operations and the resulting braided tubular product iswithdrawn as the braiding proceeds in a path parallel to and adjacentsaid central axis, said machine including means defining saidintersecting paths, bobbin carriers movable along said paths, and threadtensioningmeans associated with said carriers for maintaining undertension the threads of the bobbins carried thereby; the improvementwhich consists in means for supporting a plurality of bobbin carriers instationary position adjacent but outside and sufiiciently removed fromthe circle defined :by the points of intersection of said intersectingsinusoidal paths and sufiiciently Search Room removed away from saidcentral axis to insure that threads carried by bobbins removed from saidpaths to said stationary supports will be withheld from the ibraidingoperation and maintained under tension so long as they remain on saidsupports, and will re-enter said braiding operation if and when saidremovable bobbins are returned to said sinusoidal paths.

NORMAN C. JECKEL.

